Door check and closer.



No. 629,494. Patented July 25, I899.

E. CLIFF.

000R CHECK AND CLOSER.

(Application filed Apr. 11, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

WITNESSES IN VE N TOR Q Ma g 1.5M 5? BY w/zZw/hdi 9% E. CLIFF.

Patented July 25, I899.

DOOR CHECK AND CLOSER.

(Application filed Apr. 11, 1899.)

(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

7/1/111/1/1/1/1/1/1/1/ 'IIIII/I/III/l/II/I/Il v l/IIlIII/IIIIIIIIIII /N VENTOH M "A TTORNE) UNITED STATES Q ATEEN'T Prion.

EDWARD CLIFF, OF NEl/VARK, NEW JERSEY.

DOOR CHECK AND CLOSER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 629,494, dated July 25, 1899.

Application filed April 11,1899. Serial No. 712,611. (No model.) 7

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD CLIFF, a citizen of the United States, and. aresident of Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Door Checks and Closers, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in door checks and closers; and it consists in the novel features, constructions, and combinations of parts hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The object of my invention is to produce a combined door check and closer which shall be more efficient and durable and less -complicated and expensive than the combined checks and closers heretofore made known.

The invention will be fully understood from the detailed description hereinafter presented, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a top view of a door check and closer constructed in accordance with and embodying the invention. This figure shows the position the parts will assume when the door is closed. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of same, being shown in section. Fig. 3 is a detached top view of the piston employed within the casing of the check for acting against the checking liquid. Fig. at is a side elevation of same. Fig. 5 is a detached view of the outer end of the lever-arm which is connected with the actuating-spindle of the check. Fig. 6 is acentral verticallongitudinalsection through the check and closer, the section being taken on the dotted line 6 6 of Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a top View, partly in section, of the check and closer, the upper cap of the casing, the spring, the lever-arms, and the sleeve communicating the force of. said spring to said arms being omitted. Fig. 8 is a horizontal section of same on the dotted line 8 8 of Fig. 6, and Fig. 9 is a vertical section of a portion of the same on the dotted line 9 9 of Fig. 8.

In the drawings, A designates the exterior shell or casing of the combined check and closer; B, the vertical actuating spindle mounted therein; 0, the usual sleeve which encompasses the upper portion of said-spindie and is at its upper end formed with the the door and the lintel over the door toothed wheel D; E, the lever-arm mounted upon the upper end of therspindle B and engaging said toothed wheel D, and F the lever-arm which at one end is pivotally secured to the lintel over the door and at its other end is pivotally secured to the outer end of the lever-arm E.

The casing-or shell A is provided at its upper end with the cap G and at its lower end with the cap H, the former being open at its center to receive the sleeve 0, as shown in Fig. 6, and the cap H being formed with the seat I for the lower end of the spindle B.

Within the shell A is formed the partial horizontal partition or shelf J ,which extends, preferably, over about one-third of the horizontal diameter of the casing A and contains the central aperture K to receive and serve as a bearin g for the spindle B. That portion of the horizontal partition or shelf J containing the aperture K is substantially in the form of a disk L, as shown in Fig. 7, and below the inner portions of the partition or shelf J a standard M extends downward to the lower cap H, as shown in Fig. 6. The standard M is of piano-convex form in crosssection, as indicated in Figs. 7 and 8, and its plane face is in alinement with the vertical edge of the aperture K, so that the spindle B passing through said aperture K may obtain support against said plane surface. The vertical standard M is preferably formed integrally with the horizontal partition or shelf J, and the convex su rface of said standard is concentric with the innerwalls of the casing A, since between said convex surface of said standard and the inner walls of the said casing the piston, hereinafter described, has its movement, said piston likewise having surfaces which are concentric with said walls of said casing. The lower edges of the disk portion L of the horizontal shelf or partition J are recessed, as at N, to form a guiding-hub 0 (indicated by full lines in Fig. 6 and dotted lines in Fig. 7) in line with the convex surfaces of the standard M and concentrically with the walls of the casing A. The hub'O and standard M at their outer edges constitute the guide for the inner edges of the seg-.

The recess N receives the inner edges of the piston P, as shown by full lines in Fig.6 and by dotted lines in Fig. 7, and the outer edges of the piston P play beneath the horizontal flange Q, which extends along the walls of the casingA from one end of the shelf or partition J to the other end of said shelf or partition. The recess N and flange Q constitute a runway for the upper edges of the piston P and lead the alternate ends of the latter below the horizontal partition or shelf J, whereunder the checking action takes place.

The piston P as to its form and construction is clearly illustrated in Figs. 3, 4, U, and 8 and is simply a segmental piece of metal having the piston-heads R S, respectively, at its ends and provided at its inner vertical side with the sOcket T to receive the horizontal stud V, extending outward from the lower portion of the actuating-spimlIe B, the horizontal diameter of the socket T being greater than that of the stud V, so that there maybe a given amount of mot-ion in the spindle B before its action upon the piston P takes place. The piston P is concentric with the walls of the casing A and is provided with the two heads R S in order that it may be adapted for right and left hand doors without change. It will be understood, however, that but one of the heads R S is in operation at the one time and then only when said head enters the concentric channel formed below the partition J and intermediate the wall of the standard M and the inner wall of the casing A.

Below the horizontal partition Jand in termediate the convex side of the standard M and the inner wall of the casingA is provided the vertical abutment \V, which will preferably be held in place by means of screws X, passing through the shell A and said abutment and into the said vertical standard M, as shown in Fig. 6. The abutment W furnishes the means against which the head of.

the piston P may drive the liquid during the checking of the door. The abutment W contains the ports c b, which correspond with one another, each having the restricted diameter d and the enlarged portion 6, within which is loosely retained the ball f, operating as a valve. The ports a b are reversed in position in the abutment W, as illustrated in Fig. 8-that is to say, the restricted diameter 1 of the port a is adjacent to one side of the abutment W, while the like portion of the port 1) leads out of the opposite side of said abutment W. The ports a (9 form passages for the liquid from one side to the other of the abutment W, and the said ports may be regulated as to theextent of their opening by means of the screws g h, which pass upward through the lower cap H and are in position to be moved tnore or less across the diameter of the reduced portion 61 of said ports. The ballsf operate as valves, and they are prevented from leaving the portions 6 of the ports a b by means of pins. (Shown in Fig.

8.) In the drawings I illustrate the port ans entirely open, as shown in Fig. 9, and the port I) as partly closed by the upper end of the screw it, and under this condition the check will be adapted for right-hand doors, and the checking action will occur upon the entrance of the head R of the piston P below the partition J. Upon the approach of the head R of the piston P below the partition J dttring the closing of the door the liquid will be crowded against the abutment W, with the result that the force of the liquid will cause the ballf to close the port a and move the ball of the port I) away from its seat,thereby leaving the restricted passage, (through the port 1),) through which the liquid may escape in limited quantities. The size of the said restricted passage through the port I) will be regulated by the position of the screw 7t, and during the opening of the door, employing the check, the head R of the piston P will pass outward from the abutment NV and will operate to draw the ballfof the port I) to its closed position and the ball f of the port a to its open position, and at such time the liquid will flow freely through the port (1, since said port is at that time entirely open, as shown in Fig. 9. Thus when the head R of the piston P is approaching the abutment Wit will be unimpeded until itenters below the partition J, and then it will be retarded in its motion bythe closing of the porta and the restricted flow the liquid is permitted to have through the port 1). Thus for a righthand door the port CL is left open to permit a free passage of the liquid during the receding of the piston-head R from the abutment, and during the approach of the pistonhead R toward the abutment W the port a is automatically closed and the only escape for the liquid is through the then restricted port 1). While the piston-head R is receding from the abutment W during the opening of the door the piston-head S will be moving toward the abutment W and will aid in driving the liquid through the port a. It has been explained above that when the port a is wide open and the port Z) partly closed by means of the screw h the check is then adapted for a right-hand door; but it is desirable that the check may also be used for left-hand doors, and it is for this reason that I provide the piston P with the head S in addition to the head R. When the check is applied toa left-hand door, the piston-head R is substantially idle, and the checking is done by the action of the head S moving the liquid toward the abutment W. When-the check is to be used on a left-hand door and the piston-head S brought into operation, it will be necessary for the screw it to be moved downward, so as to fully open the port I), and for the screw g to be moved upward, so as to partly close the porta, in order that during the approach of the piston-head S toward the abutment W during the closing of the door the liquid will cause the ball f of the port b v to close said port, so that the only outlet for the liquid will then be through the then restricted port Ct, this port having been restricted by the upward movement of the screw g, as above explained. During the receding motion of the piston-head S from the abutment W during the opening of the door the ballf of the port I) will leave its seat, and the liquid may freely follow through the then wide-open port I). Should it be desired to simply construct the check for a right-hand door, the piston-head S will not be employed,

and should it simply be desired to construct the check for a left-hand door the piston-head B would be unnecessary. I have explained above that the stud V, which enters the socket T of the piston P, is less in horizontal diameter than said socket, and I thus construct said stud in order that at the starting of the opening and closing of the door a light momentum may be given to the actuating-spindle before the piston P is acted upon by the stud V, the result being that less force is required to open the door with my check than is required to open a door employing .checks of the character heretofore made known in which the movement of the actuating-spindle and the piston is concurrent at the starting of the opening of the door.

The lower portion of the casing A opens freely into the upper portion of said casing, since, as will be observed from the drawings, the partition J does not close the said lower portion from the said upper portion, and

hence the liquid may be freely poured into.

the upper end of the casing A and allowed to fill upward above the partition J. I prefer that lhe liquid shall fill the casingAto a point above the partition J, since thereby all air-bubbles may freely escape upward above the partition J and be prevented from forming or collecting beneath the said partition J and interfering with the proper operation of the check.

Above the partition J is provided the usual helical spring t, of the known form and operation in this art, and it is formed with' the usual hook-shaped ends to engage, respectively, the groovej, formed in the sleeve 0, and't-he groove is, formed in the wall of the casing A, as illustrated in Fig. 6. The spring 1' is, as usual, reversible, so that the closer and check may be employed for either. right or left hand doors. The liquid employed as the checking agent will fill around the lower portions of the spring t' and serve to lubricate the same, and this is a feature of advantage and is due to the fact that the entire casing A forms but one compartment and that the liquid instead of being confined in the lower portion of the casing A is allowed abundant freedom and forms no resistance to the movement of the piston except when the end of said piston passes below the shelf or partial partition J. r

The sleeve 0 is of usual constructiom'but in-this instance-is formed at-its upper-end with the toothed wheel D, which is different from the ordinary ratchet-wheel in that the teeth of the wheel correspond at their opposite sides and are formed by cutting concave recesses in the periphery of the wheel, as illustrated in Fig. 1. Upon the upper squared end of the spindle B-which projects above said wheel D is placed the inner end of the lever-arm E, whose outer end is in the shape of a hollow hub and is retained by means of a bolt or screw m between the outer ends of the two strips 71 n, which correspond with one another and constitute the lever-arm F,which, as usual, at its inner end will be pivotallysecured to the lintel over the door.v The leverarm E is provided with the vertical screw 0, whose lower end is adapted to engage the Wheel D, as shown in l and 6, in order to connect said wheel with saidlever-arm E. The adjustment of the spring is accomplished by turning the wheel D in the well-known manner, and after the adjustment has been accomplished the screwo will be moved downward, so as to engage said wheel and retain it against the stress of .the spring i. The lower end of the screw 0 will snugly fit between any two teeth of the wheel D. The screw m passes through both portions n n of the lever-arm F and also through the outer end of the lever-arm E, and the outer ends of the said portions 01 n are formed with slots 19 in order to admit of the adjustment of said screw m longitudinally along said slots in accordance with the conditions to be metin applying the door check and closer to use. Within the hub at the outer end of the leverarm E will be placed a regular bushing q, (shown in Fig. 5,) and this bushing will be slightly thicker than the said hub in order that when the screw m is tightened the two parts it it of the lever-arm E will press against said bushing and not bind upon the outer endv of the lever-arm E, which will be free to turn on said bushing as on an axis. I make the lever-arm F of the two parts n n in order that the lever-arms F E may very closely ap proach one another and the outer portion of the lever-arm E fold into the lever-arm F- whenever necessary, as shown in Fig. 1. I regard it important that the outer ends of the lever-arms E F should be adjustable upon one another, since thereby the check and closer may be rendered adaptable to the varying conditions of doors with convenience.

The operation of the door check and closer hereinbefore described will probably be sufficiently understood from the foregoing description without further extended explanation. The employment of the springt'and sleeve Care well understood. The liquid will be poured into the upper end of the casing A and fill said casing to a point as far abovethe shelf J as may be found convenient; but said liquid should not reach the upper end of the casing A, since it is intended that the liquid shall not be confined within an apartment or closed chamber, but shall be permitted to have freedom of motion during the action of the check. 'In the drawings the check is shown in operative condition and position for right-hand doors, and it has been explained above that the position of the screws 9 h with respect to the ports a b will be reversed when adapting the check for the lefthand doors, and this portion of the description need not be repeated. Only one of the ports abcomes into use at any one time, and under the conditions presented in the drawings the port 11 serves as a by-pass when the piston-head R is approaching the abutment V and the port ct serves as a free by-pass when the piston R is receding from the abutment V. The piston P is in the nature of a double-ended plunger, so as to adapt it for use in connection with both right and left hand doors, and said piston is segmental in form and travels along a circumferential channel along the outer walls of the casing A, this channel being entirely open at all times except when the end of the piston is in the act of pressing the liquid against the abutment W, and at such time this portion of the channel is closed in order that the liquid may resist the motion of the piston, and consequently check the closing of the door. By reason of the fact that the liquid is not inclosed within a sealed chamber orapartment the piston P meets with no resistance from the liquid except during such time as it may be desired to effect the checking action, and at such time only a small portion of the liquid is resisting the movement of the piston.

That I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In adooroloser and check comprising the casing containing the spring and piston, the spindle within said casing for operating said piston, the sleeve on said spindle andengaged by one end of said spring, and the wheel on the upper end of said sleeve, combined with the lever-arm keyed on said spindle and engaging said wheel, and the additional leverarm adapted to be secured to the door-frame, said lever-arms being pivotally connected together at their outer ends, where one of said arms is slotted and the otherarm is adjustable in its connection along said slot; substantially as set forth.

2. In a doorcloser and check comprising the casing containing the spring and piston, the spindle within said casing for operating said piston, the sleeve on said spindle and engaged by one end of said spring, and the wheel on the upper end of said sleeve, combined with the lever-arm keyed on said spindle and engaging said wheel, the additional lever-arm adapted to be secured to the door-frame, and the screw connecting the outer or jointed ends of said levers, one of said outer ends being slotted to permit of the longitudinal adjustment therein of said screw and the other being rigid in its relation to said screw; substantially as set forth.

3. In a door closer and check comprising the V casing containing the spring and piston, the

spindle within said casing for operating said piston, the sleeve on said spindle and engaged by one end of said spring, and the wheel on the upper end of said sleeve, combined with the lever-arm E keyed on said spindle and e11 gaging said wheel, the additional lever-arm F composed of the corresponding parts n, n, and adapted to be secured to the door-frame, and the screw connecting the outer or jointed ends of said levers, one of said outer or jointed ends being slotted and the other thereof having the aperture to receive the body of said screw; substantially as set forth.

. at. Inadoorcloserand check,the casing containing the partial horizontal shelf and vertical abutment, and forming one chamber having suitableports for the flow of liquid, combined with the spindle within said casing, the segmental piston adapted to move below said shelf and toward said vertical abutmentdun ing the final closing action of the door and from below said shelf during the opening of the door, the jointed lever-arms connected with the upperend of said spindle, the sleeve on said spindle and also connected with said lever arms, and the spring engaging said sleeve and the wall of said casing; substantially as set forth.

5. In a door closer and check, the casing forming one chamber and having the partial horizontal shelf or partition, vertical abutment and suitable ports, combined with the spindle within said casing, the segmental piston to be operated by said spindle and having substantially concentric inner and outer vertical surfaces, and said piston being doubleended and adapted to move below said shelf at either side of said vertical abutment during the final closing action of the door and from below said shelf during the opening of the door, the jointed lever-arms connected with the upper end of said spindle, the sleeve on said spindle and also connected with said leverarms, and the spring engaging said sleeve and the wall of said casing; substantially as set forth.

6. In a door-check the casing forming one chamber, the spring therein, the actuatingspindle connected with said spring, and the transmitting-levers connected with the said spindle, combined with the partial horizontal shelf within said casing, the vertical abutment below said shelf, ports for the liquid, and the segmental piston having the concentric inner and outer vertical surfaces and adapted to be actuated by said spindle, said spindle having the stud to enter a socket in said piston; substantially as set forth.

7. In a door-check the casing, the spring therein, the actuating-spindle connected with said spring, and the transmitting-levers connected with the said spindle, combined with the shelf within said casing, the vertical abutment below said shelf, ports for the liquid, and the segmental piston adapted to be actuated by said spindle, said spindle having thestud to enter a socket in said piston, and

said socket being of greater diameter in horizontal section than said stud so as to permit the spindle to get started before the piston is acted on; substantially as set forth.

8. In a door-check the casing, the spring therein, the actuating-spindle connected with said spring, and the transmitting-levers connected with the said spindle, combined with the shelf within said casing, the vertical abutment below said shelf and having the ports (0,1), containing the wide and narrow portions in reversed positions, the balls f in the Wider portions of said ports, the screws for regulating the passage through the said ports, and a piston adapted to be actuated by said spindle and move below said shelf and toward said abutment; substantially as set forth.

9. In a door-check the casing, the spring therein, the actuating-spindle connected with said spring, and the transmitting-levers connected with the said spindle, combined with the shelf within said casing, the vertical abutment below said shelf and having the two ports with oppositely-acting valves therefor, the screws g, 7i, for regulating the passage through said ports, and a piston adapted to be actuated by said spindle and move below said shelf and toward said abutment; substantially as set forth.

10. In a door-check the casing, the spring therein, the actuating-spindle connected with said spring, and the transmitting-levers connected with the said spindle, combined with the shelf within said casing, the vertical abutment below said shelf, the standard M below said shelf and having the convex side adjoining said abutment, suitable ports for the liquid, the hub O concentric with the convex side of said standard, the flange Q along the wall of said casing, and the segmental piston P adapted to be actuated by said spindle and to be guided at its upper edges by said flange and hub substantially as set forth.

11. In a door-check the casing, the spring therein, the actuating-spindle connected with said spring, and the transmitting-levers con nected with the said spindle, combined with the shelf or partition within said casing and below said spring, the vertical abutment below said shelf, ports for the liquid, and the segmental piston having the heads R, S, and adapted to be actuated by said spindle, a runway being formed within said casing for the travel and guidance of said piston and being concentric with and receiving the concentric inner and outer edges of said segmental piston; substantially as set forth.

12. In a door check and closer, the casing, the spring, the actuating-spindle connected with said spring, and the transmitting-levers connected with the said spindle, combined with the segmental piston adapted for both right and left hand doors and to be actuated by said spindle, the vertical abutment against which said piston drives the liquid, the ports for the passage of the liquid and having oppositely-acting valves, and means for regulating the passage through said ports,whereby said ports may be altered to suit and be used for either right or left hand doors; substantially as set forth.

Signed at New York, in the'county of New York and State of New York, this 10th day of April, A. D. 1899.

. EDWARD CLIFF.

Witnesses:

OnAs. O. GILL, E. J os. BELKNAP. 

